Loser by Birth

Prisoner X murdered a child. He was sentenced to death, but has found freedom through art therapy. If he is to be executed on our behalf, we must listen to what he has to say. Using ink and watercolor, each frame of this interview with Prisoner X was animated on toilet paper.

Loser by Birth - Animated Documentary

Demo Reel

Selection of my best works put together.

Demo Reel 2018

Jimmy and Shimmy

Prison Art Collaboration

In 2017, I volunteered for a program that allowed me to exchange art with prisoners on Death Row. This project changed my entire life.

The first drawing I received from this exchange was an unfinished drawing of two duck heads from an anonymous inmate. Looking at the drawing, I noticed several lines he had erased. Because none of the prisoners have had any formal art lessons, they have very tedious methods of measuring scale and perspective. I retraced several of these lines and noticed it’s resemblance of cubist works. When I finished the drawing I transferred it back to the prisoner to color. He knew nothing about cubism, however he was ecstatic to learn about it. He colored it in with various tones of green, yellow, and orange.

I also received several crafts made by the inmates. Tiny wooden crucifixes and mini-chairs braided out of toilet paper rolls remain in my room to this day. Occasionally, they are used as currency in the prsion. One of the prisoners gave me a cardboard model of his cell. I took several photographs of all of these with long focal lengths and a macro lens. Because of the lens choices, these cardboard models are put on display as if they were high art.

Birds and windows were common motifs found in all the prisoners’ work. These men create so much out of what little they are allowed to have in their cells. After reading about the making of pruno(prison wine) I was astonished by the amount of work it required. As far as I am aware, none of the prisoners have attempted this. However, the idea of making art in one’s bathroom stuck in my mind. I received a prisoner’s drawing of two cardinals and retraced them on separate pieces of paper with roller ball ink pens. I let these soak in my bathtub, so the colored ink would smear and produce a unique texture. Afterwords, I would let these dry and then retrace them only to re-soak them. I repeated this process until I got the desired look.

While these prisoners crimes are inexcusable, their crimes are a result of the societies in which they were born. Prison should be a place of reform, and not purely a place of corporal punishment.

Photo Courtesy of Sam Angel

Photo Courtesy of Sam Angel

Photo Courtesy of Sam Angel

Photo Courtesy of Sam Angel

An Evening With Floyd

From pulp-fiction paperbacks to hard-hitting journalism, Floyd Wylder always had a strong grip on his readers. His illustrator, Nick Flemming, complemented his books with iconic covers and illustrations. It's been years since they have seen each-other, but Nick leaped at the chance to re-unite on film. The following is what took place during that 48 hours.

Nick Flemming Presents: An Evening with Floyd

Posters commissioned by Micaela Ariel

Photography

Various pictures I’ve taken over the years.

Motion Graphics

A collection of motion graphics I have created. Both of the Rae Lynn graphics were commissioned by Warner Music Nashville in association with Watkins College of art and Film. Any music heard was also composed by me.